Sustainable Fashion - Discussion and Brands To Know

'Sustainability' is undoubtedly one of the most used buzz words of 2020. Every industry has become more consciously aware of their carbon footprint, and what they can do to be more sustainable. Whether they want to or not, the issue of sustainability has been put firmly on the agenda of many a company and industry sector - with those who are not stepping up being publicly 'called out'. Whilst sustainability is being explored by fashion retailers, the demand for fashion is at an all time high (consumption is up by 10% since 2012) - with cheap fast-fashion becoming more popular than ever thanks in part to the rise of social media and the desire for Instagram approval and likes. Due in part to it's innovation, sustainable fashion comes at a higher price point, with consumers often unwilling to pay a premium due to lack of awareness or lack of care.

The 60 - 75 million apparel workers employed globally, are also amongst the lowest paid in the world. With many having to work in unsafe conditions, whilst also being subject to discrimination.

At present, millennials are most likely to throw out clothing for the following reasons: tired of wearing them, no longer on trend, or they are more than a few seasons old. In relation to cheap fast fashion, the wearer is unable to keep the clothes for several years because the quality of the garments simply does not allow for it. Very often, poorly stitched polyester items have a very short lifespan which results in them being discarded sooner rather than later.

In short, the fashion industry is one of the largest polluting industries in the world. 

Statistics

1. Three-fifths of all clothing ends up in landfill or incinerators within just one year of being produced.
2. 80 billion clothing items thrown out every year.

3. The fashion industry's greenhouse gas emissions equate to more than all international shipping and flights combined.

4. Washing clothes releases half a million tonnes of microfibres into the ocean each year, which is the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.

One of the takeaway thoughts from the current Covid-19 pandemic, is that consumers will re-evaluate their spending. With many consumers being furloughed, or all together out of work, we will be watching our spending more closely then ever before. As a result, there is a hope that we will see a retail shift and the consumer will side step away from cheaper fast fashion and instead place a greater importance on quality and longevity of the product they purchase.  Giorgio Armani wrote an open letter to Women's Wear Daily, in which he commented "A careful and intelligent slowdown is the only way out...that will make the final customers perceive its true importance and value"
With this, will also come a greater consumer desire for transparency - with the want to know where our garments come from.

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Fashion Brands With Sustainable Initiatives

For those of you looking to make more eco-conscious decisions when it comes to fashion in 2020, here I am profiling a few of my favourite brands with sustainable initiatives:

Reformation - 75% of their collections are made with plant-based natural fibres which are rapidly renewable and/or fibres which are recycled. Chosen fabrics: Tencel (regenerated cellulose fibre), linen, recycled cotton, recycled cashmere. Furthermore, 15% of their collections are made from 'deadstock' fabrics, saved from landfill.

Stella McCartney - Sustainability is at the core of the brand. Famed for being a 'vegetarian' brand, no leather is used. All other materials are sourced ethically, with many recycled fibres being used. The brand also places a great emphasis on 'social sustainability', meaning the entire supply chain is looked at in great detail to ensure local artisans are protected and factories have carefully carried out audits. Even at store level, all wood used is 'Forest Stewardship Council' certified, meaning it comes from sustainably managed forests. All stores and offices are also powered by wind energy, supplied by Ecotricity. McCartney herself, was last year named Sustainability Advisor with LVMH.
Below, Stella McCartney ad campaign in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion.

Patagonia - Another big name to place a huge emphasis on both environmental responsibility and social sustainability, with a goal to be carbon neutral by 2025. At present, 72% of the line is made using recycled materials (including cashmere, down, wool, cotton and nylon) and 76% of the line is Fair Trade certified. Their supply chain promotes fair labor practices and safe working conditions.

Maggie Marilyn - Manufactured locally in New Zealand, in turn cutting down emissions in the supply chain. 50% of the collections are made from repurposed or recycled materials. Packaging produced by 'The Better Packaging Company', which has the highest certified standard for compostability. On a side note: Maggie Marilyn was the first brand to be picked up by Net-A-Porter in their first season.

Mother of Pearl - The 'No Frills' collection is a fully sustainable core line, with the sustainable attributes of each garment listed on their e-commerce site. The full supply chain was restructured in accordance with ethical practices, this filters down to the plastic-bottle free London head office. There is also a strong emphasis on educating the consumer. Creative Director, Amy Powney, has also recently launched #FASHIONOURFUTURE - a community pledging to change the way we consume to help stop climate change.

Needle & Thread - Sustainable capsule collection with Jasmine Hemsley. Collection made with recycled materials, including sequins made with post-consumer waste.

AMUR - Using sustainably sourced natural and reclaimed materials, the collections are not trend-driven allowing for greater longevity. Fibres including hemp and linen are preferred, which require little water and fertilizer to grow. AMUR also works with artisans to produce the hardware for their garments, partnering with the nonprofit fair-trade organisation 'Nest'.

House of Sunny - East London based brand House of Sunny, was founded in 2011. Going against the mainstream six collections per year, the brand creates only two collections each year. This allows the team to spend more time making informed choices when it comes to sourcing sustainable materials, with an emphasis on quality and fit.

H&M - As one of the biggest fashion retailers, in the world, H&M now offers full disclosure of the factories used to produce each garment. By doing so, such brands can be held accountable for their ethical and social responsibilities. H&M also have a 'Conscious' collection, which uses a higher percentage of sustainably sourced materials.

If you know of any great sustainable brands, or brands with sustainable initiatives, please do let me know.

Phillippa x

Twitter - @phillippa22

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